Vancouver Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko is candid about the hurdles he's facing this season. Despite securing a two-year, $11 million contract following an impressive 74-point performance last season, Kuzmenko has seen a dip in his production, with just 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) across 21 games. His underwhelming output has resulted in him being benched as a healthy scratch on two occasions. Adding to his challenges, Kuzmenko is currently recovering from a facial injury sustained from a deflected shot by teammate JT Miller during Wednesday’s game against the New York Islanders. Although sidelined as a precaution, he is expected to make a return shortly.
In Thursday's matchup at Rogers Arena against the Vegas Golden Knights, Kuzmenko managed to score a solitary goal. The play unfolded as Miller took advantage of a loose puck, driving towards the net and serving Kuzmenko with a pass that was promptly converted into a wrist shot past Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson. Despite Kuzmenko's effort, the Canucks fell to a 4-1 defeat.
"It doesn't matter if I scored ... it doesn't matter if my score doesn't help the team," Kuzmenko reflected post-game. "I need to be better, this I understand. That's why I haven't played (as much) this season." The top line, which includes Kuzmenko, Ilia Mikheyev, and Elias Pettersson, has been outpaced by their second-line counterparts in scoring and overall play during the NHL's first quarter.
Pettersson, who centers for the Canucks, has tallied 30 points with nine goals and 21 assists. On the other hand, right winger Ilya Mikheyev has contributed 12 points with seven goals and five assists.
Head Coach's Expectations
Rick Tocchet, the head coach of the Canucks, has set clear expectations for Kuzmenko, describing his current season's performance as "OK" but emphasizing the need for increased effort and productivity. Tocchet made the decision to bench the winger for consecutive games against the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks in late November.
"He's got to get his game a little bit more sharpened up," Tocchet stated on November 27. "It's not about last year, it's about this year for us. And he's a guy that needed a reset."
Tocchet's directives for Kuzmenko are specific: the winger must show greater intensity in puck battles along the boards and improve his defensive reactions in the neutral zone. "Those are the little things that I value around here. It's not about just scoring goals. Goal scorers are going to go through slumps," Tocchet explained. "The little things matter. That's part of our staples and he has to understand that's the Bible for us around here."
Despite the loss, Kuzmenko's goal and his performance in the third period of Thursday's game did not go unnoticed. Tocchet commended the Russian winger for his focused play. "If you watch his shifts in the third, he was going A to B," Tocchet noted. "He wasn't zigzagging, backward skating defending; he was going forward."
Kuzmenko himself is acutely aware of the high expectations placed upon him by his coach and is eager to meet them. He acknowledges the statistical slump, particularly with his four-goal tally this year, and is committed to maintaining focus on contributing to the team's success.
The winger also brushed off any concerns regarding his mindset amid the extended scoring drought that spanned almost the entire month of November. "What interesting questions about mentality. It’s an interesting moment for mentality, for personality, for me," Kuzmenko said with a smile. "It’s simple with the hard work mentality, work in the gym, it’s simple."
With an eye on improvement and building upon his latest performance, Kuzmenko looks ahead to the upcoming game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, hoping to turn the tide for both his personal statistics and the team's fortunes.